Player Watch #14 Callum Mills (c)

[Kennedy Parker]

Callum Mills

Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

is one of the best young players in the AFL. The QBE Sydney Swans Academy graduate won the 2016 AFL Rising Star award and was selected in the AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 team in three of his four eligible years. Mills is a small defender with uncompromising courage who’s also capable of shifting through the midfield. The New South Welshman was elevated to Sydney’s leadership group during the 2018 pre-season at the age of just 21, and he’s now a member of a five-man leadership panel alongside co-captains Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

and Dane Rampe

24

Dane Rampe

Age

34

Ht

187cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

2.5

4star

MG

358.8

5star

D

14.1

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.1

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

284.5

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.4

4star

, as well as Lance Franklin.

Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

DOB: 02 April 1997
DEBUT: 2016
DRAFT: #3, 2015 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: North Shore (NSW)

Callum Mills | AFL

Follow Callum Mills's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Benmacca33]

Never forget the game
He played in 22 as a mid 37 and 1 against hawthorn in a come back from 30 plus down ..
Was unbelievable did the lot and was hard and strong in every contest be up there with the best on ball performances I’ve seen .. always remember it.
Is it enough to help us dunno
Sheldrick added for grunt is it enough
Trade some one still don’t think it’s enough ..
Team is cooked in the scone need bigger changes horse and hole new outlook in my opinion

 

[Millky95]

Never forget the game
He played in 22 as a mid 37 and 1 against hawthorn in a come back from 30 plus down ..
Was unbelievable did the lot and was hard and strong in every contest be up there with the best on ball performances I’ve seen .. always remember it.
Is it enough to help us dunno
Sheldrick added for grunt is it enough
Trade some one still don’t think it’s enough ..
Team is cooked in the scone need bigger changes horse and hole new outlook in my opinion

Happy for him to play the Rowbottom role so Rowbottom and Sheldrick can be the main extractors to Heeney/JMac types

 

[Wazowski]

Happy for him to play the Rowbottom role so Rowbottom and Sheldrick can be the main extractors to Heeney/JMac types

What does that mean in practice though, keep Gulden to a wing. Warner and Heeney play more time forward? Tay remains a depth player?

 

[Millky95]

What does that mean in practice though, keep Gulden to a wing. Warner and Heeney play more time forward? Tay remains a depth player?

We trade Warner out now whilst he has value.

Gulden spends most of his time on a wing or on the bench. Our CBA trio is Mills a stopper with Heeney and Rowbottom extractors. At general stoppage they try to get the ball to the wings and HFFs that push up.

Adams would be in that midfield mix depending on the rest of the line up. But our current midfield mix needs more grunt. I think Rowbottom is that grunt if we play him less of a defensive mid

 

[Adnico26Parker]

 

[Callipygian]

Crikey! That looks like a very expensive wedding dress, with a train fit for a royal wedding.

(Not that I know much about such things.)

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Crikey! That looks like a very expensive wedding dress, with a train fit for a royal wedding.

(Not that I know much about such things.)

20k above?

 

[hairy biker]

Any news on Callum?

Still amazed the club would allow him to go on a honeymoon.

Previously, a broken foot throwing an American football, bung shoulder from wrestling, so many dangers awaiting on his honeymoon.

1 Deadly bluebottle sting
2 Broken penis
3 Falls into a volcano
4 Captured by the World's last remaining cannibals.

Why oh why did they choose Dubbo as their honeymoon destination?

 

[zyzzbruh]

Any news on Callum?

Still amazed the club would allow him to go on a honeymoon.

Previously, a broken foot throwing an American football, bung shoulder from wrestling, so many dangers awaiting on his honeymoon.

1 Deadly bluebottle sting
2 Broken penis
3 Falls into a volcano
4 Captured by the World's last remaining cannibals.

Why oh why did they choose Dubbo as their honeymoon destination?

Even if he dodges those things you can guarantee he'll come back with a pulled muscle.

 

[caesar88]

I'm thinking about Callum Mills.

I'm thinking about how much responsibility is on Mills' shoulders going into next year. So much so they'll be sorer than a pub crawl with Jacob Konstanty.

I'm thinking about what he has to prove to the fans, who - fairly or unfairly - have questioned his captaincy, both the merit of the choice in the first place, given the circumstances, and the merit of it going forward. We were robbed of much chance to even assess Mills' leadership this year. He was sidelined for most of it and average & underdone for most of the rest of it. And he was unable to lead in his full capacity in the most important game of the year. So 2025 becomes something of a campaign for Mills, to convince the skeptical fans that he's the right guy for the job.

I'm thinking about what he has to prove to himself. From all reports, it's been a frustrating past twelve months for Mills. If you factor in how injury-interrupted his 2023 season was as well, with hand and calf injuries, it's probably been a frustrating past 24 months since his career-best season in 2022. But this is where we find out what Mills is made of, as an athlete and as a person. He is fit and primed on day one of pre-season. That is a positive start. He needs to maintain this good fortune throughout the pre-season. He needs that hunger and motivation to be unwavering, so he can get back to the incredibly strong and incredibly fit player he's shown he can be at his best. That is what it has to be about, really - proving that we have not seen the best of Callum Mills yet.

I'm thinking about how he can look to his good mate Isaac Heeney for an example of that. Criticised for his 2023 season where he was wildly inconsistent and failed to finish top 10 in the B&F, Heeney responded with a massive pre-season and a year in which he played the best footy of his career. Mills next year will be the age that Heeney was this year. It is do-able, if he can put in the work and hope the injury Gods favour him. They are obviously different players, so a career-best Mills probably isn't producing dazzling highlights or kicking 30+ goals in a season. But what a career-best Mills could be capable of is maybe even more important and more impressive than what Heeney produced. Which brings me to the final thing I'm thinking about...

I'm thinking about what Mills has to prove to the midfield. It's no secret we need to be better in the contest, and our new coach confirmed as much in one of his first interviews in the role. I'm thinking about how no one can play a greater part in contributing to this improvement than Callum Mills. Absolutely no disrespect to the likes of Cleary & Sheldrick, who I think can (and should be given the chance to) play their part... they are not Mills. They are not a 188cm brute who can rack up hard balls at will whilst effectively nullifying the opposition's most dangerous mid. But perhaps most importantly, they can not provide the size & power to potentially allow Heeney to rest forward, where he could be a dangerous marking option still. They can not provide the tackling & defensive efforts to potentially allow Rowbottom to play as a pure clearance player, where he can be so damaging. Mills is the key to unlocking a truly balanced main midfield trio with the flexibility to take each other's roles so we are not predictable at stoppages. It's all so possible. Who knows what Cox & co's perspectives will be. It's up to Mills to leave them with no choice.

So I'm thinking about how I can't recall a year where so much is riding on one very good player. Leadership on and off the field. An extra elite name added to the team sheet every week. Contested strength to boost the midfield. It's a lot, but I think Mills can rise to this challenge.

 

[The King!]

I'm thinking about where Supermans suit goes when he changes to Superman

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Today's presser:

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

I think safe to say Mills remains as captain. It will be interesting if they go with co-captains, but if I was a betting man I would backing in sole captain.

Though was also interesting that Cox hadn’t brought Mills into his inner circle in developing the game plan. It sounds like Cox will be imparting the plan from up high, which I think is a good call. It will enable more freshness in approach.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I think safe to say Mills remains as captain. It will be interesting if they go with co-captains, but if I was a betting man I would backing in sole captain.

Though was also interesting that Cox hadn’t brought Mills into his inner circle in developing the game plan. It sounds like Cox will be imparting the plan from up high, which I think is a good call. It will enable more freshness in approach.

Seeing that pic with Cox, Mills, McCartin and Gulden made me think Captain and two vice-captains.
As to the game plan he has to involve his line coaches in some manner to ensure buy in. Players not so much.

 

[Callipygian]

I think Mills did a good job of playing a very straight bat and not giving much away but seizing the opportunity to show a bit of personality by pointing out when a questioner went a bit too far in asking about whether the colour of the training clothing might be a source of inspiration. He also savvily took the opportunity to promote Swans merch. ;-)

There was a really interesting question that Cal unfortunately avoided. He was asked what were the differences in the reviews between the 2022 and 2024 GFs - were their similarities? It was a great question. Unfortunately he just batted it aside by saying they only focused on the 2024 game. While that may be true it could have been a really illuminating answer if he had answered it more fully and engagingly.

Seeing that pic with Cox, Mills, McCartin and Gulden made me think Captain and two vice-captains.
As to the game plan he has to involve his line coaches in some manner to ensure buy in. Players not so much.

That would be a big rise for McCartin I think. I have touted McCartin's leadership chops earlier than most here but I'm not sure he's ready to be VC. Personally I thought he stagnated or went backwards in that sphere last season. But there is a void crying out to be filled. So, who knows?